1. Proverbs, Psalms, & Parables
Week 6
A Skill of Sanctification

2. Proverbs
Most proverbs are short compact statements of wisdom. Life, Conduct, and the dealings of the Lord.
Broad Purposes:
Statements of Absolute Truth 21:1-3
Statements of General Wisdom 10:27

3. Context Still Key Proverbs 20:10
Differing weights and differing measures,
Both of them are abominable to the LORD.

4. Parallelisms Antithetical and Synonymous
20:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.
16:18 Pride goes before destruction,      And a haughty spirit before stumbling.

5. Recognizing Figures of Speech
Similes
Metaphors
Anthropomorphisms

6. Psalms Psalms are Songs to Stringed Instruments
Laments, Praise, Petitions, Confessions, Didactic (Instructional), Occasional

7. Psalm 51
Meaning
Implications
Applications

8. Psalm 22
Meaning
Implications
Applications

9. Parables
Matthew 13:10-17
And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"
Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.
"For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.
"Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

10. Parables
"In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive;
For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.'
"But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.
"For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

11. The Nature of Parables
Parables uttered by Jesus “hid” truth to the initial hearers, but in the context of the Gospels, parables “reveal” truth.
Parables usually teach a main point and are not to be viewed as allegories.
Example: Augustine and the Parable of the Good Samaritan

12. Guidelines for Arriving at the “Main Point”
Who are the main characters?
What occurs at the end?
What occurs in direct discourse?

13. Matthew 13:24-35 Three Parables: What is the purpose of the parables?
What is the meaning of the parables?
How do these fit into Matthew’s themes?

14. Next Week: Prophetic and Apocalyptic Literature
Read Matthew 24
Read Revelation 6
What are the differences between these texts?
Where are the parallels?